The woman laughed. “You would refuse him?” She raised her eyebrows.
Daisy shook her head.
“Then take that nonsense off.”
The next ten minutes were the strangest of Daisy’s life. Something about the woman put her at ease despite her discomfort at undressing in front of her. She thought about refusing to do what she was told but somehow it felt okay.
She ended up looking like something out of a historical movie.
She had on a chemise and two white wool stockings. On her feet were black kid leather boots. Above the chemise was a long flowing dress of scarlet red. A tartan belt was tied around it, pinching her waist in better than a corset ever could. Her hair was tied up and inside a pillbox hat that the woman called a coif. It was held in place by a length of fabric under her chin.
She wished she had a mirror to look into but the best she could do was take the compliment from the woman who’d dressed her.
“That’s better,” she said. “Fit for a MacGregor now. Your things will remain here until you get back. You better get moving. I can hear the horses already.”
“Get moving where?”
“Out the back stairs to the sally port. He will be outside.”
She guided Daisy to a flight of stairs in the corridor and then down a maze of turns until she found herself passing through a wooden door and then she stopped dead. She looked around her. “How long did that take? It was daytime when I arrived.”
“Be off with you,” the woman said, pulling the door closed and leaving her alone.
The sun had set while she’d been inside. All she could see was the light of a flaming torch in Jock’s hand. He was beside an enormous horse that stamped its hooves impatiently, flicking its mane at the same time.
“Let me guess, no car,” she said, looking nervously up at the horse.
“You talk strange but you look good,” he replied. “Now up you get.”
“On that? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Would you rather walk?”
“I’d rather get a cab. Where is this party anyway?”
“The feast is at my financier’s house.”
She noticed anger in his voice when he spoke. Had she annoyed him? “I can’t ride that,” she said. “I get scared on the merry-go-round at the seaside.”
“I will do the riding for us both,” he said, holding a hand out toward her.
She took it, not surprised to see her fingers swallowed up by his huge fist. His skin was warmer than she expected though just as rough as she would have imagined. He brought her to the side of the horse and then let go of her hand.
Before she knew what was happening he had grabbed her by the waist and was hoisting her through the air. Her legs flailed but then she was on the back of the horse, feeling slightly embarrassed by her squeal as he’d lifted her up.
He leaped up behind her and then took the reins with one hand, the other on her waist, pulling her back against him. “Haud on,” he said. “I wouldnae want you falling off now.”
She could barely breathe, let alone reply. He had his hand on her waist. She could feel the heat of his body against her back, the warmth of his breath on her neck. Her skin tingled from the sensation.
So much for saying goodbye, she told herself as they began to ride away from the castle.
The journey didn’t take long but it was one Daisy would never forget. The entire time he held her, making her feel safe. It had been a long time since she’d felt so safe. Not only that, but he said nothing.
In the silence she could indulge herself in thoughts of the two of them living a life together. Was it such an impossible dream as she’d first thought? Was he like smoking? Was he becoming an addiction? Was he so bad for her after all?
When they arrived at the house, Daisy began to wonder if there was something in the water in the highlands. It wasn’t just Jock who was eccentric.
There were people outside the house and every single man was in hose and tartan. The women were in dresses even more medieval than her own.
